Indiana authorities confirmed at least five people have died as severe storms and flooding ravaged the state this week.
The fatalities include a young boy killed when a tree fell on his home, a woman swept away after driving into floodwaters, and a teen reported missing after jumping into a river on Wednesday, officials said Saturday. More than a dozen counties have declared local disasters, with damage concentrated along river corridors from Hamilton County into northern Indianapolis suburbs.
President Trump approved an emergency declaration for Indiana, making federal disaster assistance available through FEMA, the agency announced Saturday. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the city was experiencing its most severe flooding in more than 30 years, noting conditions were shifting rapidly.
Hundreds of homes between the White River and parallel canals were evacuated Saturday as first responders used boats to rescue stranded residents. Rita Reith, a spokesperson with the Indianapolis Fire Department, put the number of rescues at 95 people and 45 pets as of late afternoon. Dispatchers had received hundreds of calls for service throughout the day.
The governor’s office reported more than 350 evacuations in Delaware County and that a senior mobile home community in Tipton County was being evacuated. Rescues and welfare checks were also underway in Fayette County.
“My heart is with the families and loved ones of the five Hoosiers we have lost and every family whose life has been changed by these storms,” Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said in a statement issued Saturday. “Please continue to take flooding seriously and stay away from floodwaters.”
Jacob Spence, director of Marion County Emergency Management, called it a once-in-a-lifetime type flood.
“This is an unprecedented event, and unfortunately we’re setting some new records,” he said.
The National Weather Service reported that more than 11 inches of rain fell over a two-day period in some areas. The White River crested at more than 24 feet in Anderson and Noblesville, surpassing records set in 1913. While some floodwaters were receding north of Indianapolis, flash-flood warnings and watches remained in place Saturday across central Indiana.
Forecasters expected the White River to crest Saturday evening in the Indianapolis area, where National Guard vehicles were among those helping with rescue efforts.
In the viral moment that preceded the weekend’s peak flooding, residents posted videos on social media showing submerged homes, vehicles stranded in high water, a power pole being toppled by rushing water, and roads being washed away. There were ominous clouds over Noblesville on Saturday morning, but the river had already marked its historic crest the night before, leaving homes standing in water, parking lots flooded, and corn fields saturated.
The community’s historic covered bridge — Potter’s Bridge — was still standing.
“This is crazy for all of us,” said Matt Doudt, the city’s photographer, who was out early to document the aftermath. He pointed to a grassy commons area that usually hosts farmers’ markets and concerts. That was under water. So was a brand new memorial and flower garden recently installed by the city.
“We have a lot of damage,” he said, “But we didn’t lose any lives and everybody got rescued and our city is taking care of people pretty well.”